Year in year out migrant birds arrive at Valukai Aru basin in Jaffna peninsula, as do other migrant birds that visit many parts of the world. This is a dry river in the peninsula that gets filled during wet seasons only. These migrant birds seek and obtain their food during its short stay as free birds, without anyone disturbing them, is accepted as a natural occurrence each wet season in the peninsula and life goes on as part of nature.
Yet many Northerners are living in the peninsula and mainland without such basic freedom those migrant birds enjoy. In the prevoius war zones the freedom of these people to live has been taken away against all laws of nature.
For after a decade, the family members of those killed are still seeking justice and truth for all the violations committed to their loved ones. Earlier many had fled the war zones to escape from the intensity of war, never to return.
While many more families were internally displaced and some have returned to restart life among rubles having spent most years as refugees elsewhere. All this due to immoral acts considerd so unnatural by any standard in a civilised society as it goes against all basic rules of nature.
After the war was brought to finish in 2009 and with years of negativity prevailing in the previous war zones with many such unnatural incidents continuing caused a Wind of Change to occur in 2015 and the rulers were changed. It was a cause for concern to many, for it impacted heavily on the internal affairs of the country.
Whereas earlier immediately after war ended, with much interference of international communities the matter was promptly referred in the United Nations’ off shoot UNHRC. Within months resolutions were passed by it against Sri Lanka.
But due to currupt activities of the law makers the issues of the people remained and five years passed without the government resolving any of the issues to conclusion.
True, loss of lives, disabilities, destruction are all by products in a bloody battle, specially due to many violations committed by both sides involved in the war.
Acceptance of it and proper reconciliation has not happened to date, with opposing sectionist eliminated both government and its forces celebrated victory, with people left as bystanders.
In particular those in the previous war zone left picking up their shattered life and began counting their losses.
Failure to find the true causes of civilian deaths during the final stage of the war and failing to investigate the disappearances of civilians during the negative peace years for over a decade is of great concern to the affected families.
With the General Election round the corner, people expect the New President, who has opted for a new path to resolve all their grievances. In particular those living in the previous war zones expect it to include restoration of the basic rights denied to them, to enable them to live with equality in a united country.
Northern Breeze 